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1) Howard Webb and his dodgy decisions
Howard Webb has long been a controversial figure. The famous twitter picture of Howard Webb in a Manchester United jersey posted by Ryan Babel was a hit among the Liverpool fans but not so popular with the F.A.
Webb was a key talking point in the game. In the first half he could have given Podolski and Sterling both a yellow while Monreal was also lucky not to have received a second yellow card. In the second half Gerrard was not awarded a second yellow card which could have turned the game.
But the biggest talking point was the penalty appeal which was rejected for the foul on Suarez. It was probably the most shocking decision of the game. It appeared to be a clear foul by Chamberlain on Suarez. But Webb waived away the claims. To be fair, Suarez did not do himself a lot of good by going down theatrically. The timing of the foul was also crucial as Liverpool could have drawn level had the decision been awarded their way.
The overall performance of Webb will certainly not increase his popularity among the Liverpool fans. Webb was also the referee in the away game against Chelsea where Eto’o probably should have been sent off early on for his foul on Henderson.
2) Poor finishing by Liverpool
Daniel Sturridge had two glorious chances inside the first ten minutes but he wasted both of them. Unfortunately for him they were both on his weaker foot. That resulted in Sturridge losing a bit of confidence in the game.Liverpool’s finishing throughout the game was not upto the mark.
Arsenal on the other hand took their chances well. Chamberlain and Podolski finished brilliantly to give Arsenal the two goal advantage. Liverpool attempted 15 shots with 8 of them being on target whereas Arsenal managed 8 shots with 3 of them being on target. Suarez alone managed 8 of those 15 attempts for Liverpool. However the Uruguayan could not convert any of those into a goal.
3) Resolute defending by Arsenal
After being exposed by Liverpool in the first few minutes, Arsenal tightened up their defence well. The presence of Flamini and Arteta was crucial for Arsenal in the midfield battle. Without Flamini, Arsenal looked badly exposed in the Premier League game at Anfield.
The defending by Arsenal was a lot better. Wenger seemed to have sorted the defence out and they showed that they had learnt from their mistakes from the game at Anfield. Koscielny made 5 interceptions whereas Monreal made as many as 7 interceptions. Suarez created many chances during the game but Arsenal held on very well.
4) The influence of Raheem Sterling
Since his return to the first team, Raheem Sterling has been one of the unsung heroes of the team. He has improved his tactical aspects of the game quite well this season. His defensive contribution has also been a feature of his game. Despite being physically not very strong, the youngster has managed to wrestle his out of many situations. He made 4 successful dribbles in yesterday’s game.
In the second half, Rodgers brought on Henderson for Cissokho which meant Sterling was shifted to right back. Sterling defended resolutely and was also bombing down the flanks to provide an outlet for Liverpool. Though he did not manage any assist or a goal, his performance showed how far he has grown over the course of the season. With his recent form, Sterling seems to be a good bet for a place in Hodgson’s world cup squad.
5) Lack of Squad Depth for Liverpool
In the second half Liverpool were dominating possession and creating more chances. But their finishing was not upto the mark. Rodgers did not trust any player other than Henderson to come of the bench and provide a late equaliser. He had Moses and Aspas on the bench. It was a game where Liverpool could have done with some fresh legs coming on at the end.
On the other hand, Wenger seemed happy to replace his players. Giroud , Gibbs and Cazorla came off the bench to provide some much needed respite. For all the attacking prowess Liverpool possess in their starting line-up, their squad players are nowhere near as good to replace them.
